Exorcism
by TheFourthNorn
Summary: Loki waits in a cell on Midgard, believing that his link with Thanos has been broken by his encounter with the Hulk. He is wrong.
1. That was the plan

**Hahahah. I have no business writing new stories when my latest chapter for My Scars Burn Bright has been overdue for two months... but you know... this is me we're talking about...**

**Warnings: Broken ribs**

**Chapter 1: That was the Plan…**

* * *

**So I'll reclaim my body and my soul**

**Banish the broken from my bones**

**You're no longer my religion**

**So I take on a whole new energy**

**Manifest a better part of me**

**Gotta rid you from my system**

**It's time for an exorcism**

**-Exorcism by Clairity**

* * *

His mind was clear.

Each one of his senses was acutely aware of his surroundings. The green beast had left at some point to clobber some Chitauri. The air smelled like dust and a hint of ozone. The floor beneath him was cracked, and Loki knew most definitely that several of his ribs were too. He couldn't _quite_ get enough air, and the stone digging into his kidney wasn't helping.

But oh Norns, his mind was clear.

It was exhilarating.

He had not been alone in his thoughts for far too long.

Loki realized that he should probably get up and do… something. He didn't know what yet. The Chitauri were definitely going to fail. He'd made sure of that. The humans may take losses but when they were assembled they were stronger than they knew.

He choked in another breath. Fire shot through his chest and side and he couldn't seem to draw in any air for a good amount of time. Oh yeah. Definitely broken ribs.

Loki knew he needed to move.

Not for the sake of his injuries. He supposed those would heal eventually. No. It would never do to indulge in his petty desire to curl up in a ball and never move again. He needed to move because he knew if he didn't, he _wouldn't_ until the Midgardians and his br- _not your brother, _his brain hissed-…until Thor came around and pulled him off to who knows where. He did _not_ want to be around when Thor tramped in like the stupid, noble warrior he was, demanding justice and all.

Loki drifted off for a moment. The battle sounded quieter. He couldn't tell if it was actually dying down or if it was just him.

He snapped back when he heard the green beast roar in the distance. _Oh norns_. He _really_ needed to get moving.

Finally mustering the strength and the will to get up, Loki shifted onto his side. Suddenly what felt like hot white flames licked across his torso. _Oh, the ribs. Damn the ribs._

He panted a little as he forced himself to move his legs underneath himself. Loki attempted to stand. Unfortunately it was for naught as he immediately crumpled back onto his knees. It seemed that his right hip may have been dislocated. _Ugh_.

Loki gritted his teeth and dragged himself up again, trying to at least make it to the elevator. He felt a sharp burst of pain as his femur popped back into its proper alignment. He only just stopped his knees from buckling.

He got as far as the stairs before collapsing again.

_You know, I think I'll just take a little breather… _He lied there for a moment, face inches from the step in front of him. _Oh norns, I am so pathetic. _Everything seemed altogether too bright and sharp.

He was about to make the attempt to move again when he heard the rubble behind him shift. A spike of fear went through his gut. _Ugh no. Please not his little band of freaks._

He turned.

It was the little band of freaks. One of which had an arrow aimed at his skull. _This will be fun._

"I think I'll have that drink now." He nodded towards the metal man. The man- _Tony Stark_, he remembered- gave a small smirk and snorted.

Thor frowned and strode forward. "No drinks for you, brother. It is time you faced justice for your actions." He gripped Loki's arm and pulled him to his feet.

Loki grunted as his wounds were aggravated.

"Heh, justice…" he said, slightly out of breath.

Thor's frown deepened. He then pulled out a pair of handcuffs. Loki's breathing hitched. This time, not from his fractured ribs. He knew exactly what those were. He gave Thor a bitter stare as they were placed on his wrists.

A cold pressure settled in his ribcage as Loki felt his seidr being repressed. Thor just loved competing for being the worst part of Loki's day, didn't he.

"_Yes sir… we need detainment immediately… yes sir…_" Loki realized that the Widow was contacting her superiors. This was just going to be embarrassing, honestly.

The archer kept an arrow trained on his head as Thor dragged Loki towards the bar. As they waited to the side, Loki stared out the shattered windows. Loki could see the state of both the city and 'his' army. The Chitauri were scattered everywhere, their lifeless bodies piled up in the streets and atop buildings. If he cared for the Chitauri it would be a sobering sight. Still it was sobering for an entirely different reason. He had failed.

He had failed the one person you should never fail.

It was only so long before the wrath of Thanos would find him.

Loki was terrified.

* * *

**There ya go. The beginning of Exorcism. Ehehehe. Nothing y'all don't know already tbh. It's all in the movie.**


	2. Not built I think for me

**Yeah… I uh saw Endgame…**

**Who are we? Disgruntled fans!**

**Why are we like this? Because **_**Russos**_

**What are we gonna do about it? WRITE FANFIC!**

**Chapter 2: Not built, I think, for me...**

After the Avengers had argued with their superiors for a good long while in the lobby of Stark tower, they came to a compromise. Loki would be detained by Shield for a short time, during which, Asgard (Thor basically) and Shield would figure out the long term plans for Loki's… justice.

They did not return to the Helicarrier. Loki didn't know why he vaguely expected that they would. He had done quite a bit of damage to it, so it made sense that they wouldn't detain him there again. Rather, once he was secured on another one of their quinjets, with the Avengers accompanying him, they set off towards some unknown location further inland.

Loki sniffed in disgust as he sat, practically chained to the wall. Thor's petty friends had stopped earlier for- of all things- some sort of fast food. And now they reeked of it. The smell of cheap meat and sauces filled the space. Loki thought if he breathed it for much longer he might actually puke. It had nothing to do with the already present nausea that had racked his form since he landed on Earth and worsened when he was thrown like a ragdoll by that awful beast. It was obviously completely unrelated. Obviously.

The archer sat across from him, eating a sandwich as grossly as possible without actually spilling anything. He took a particularly slobbery bite as he stared directly into Loki's eyes. Loki scrunched his nose in disgust.

"What, Loki? Tummy a little topsy turvy?" Clint taunted, mouth full of meat and soggy bread.

Loki almost grimaced. He really was nauseous and this really wasn't helping.

"Still ever the loyal servant, I see. Are you doting on your master?" Loki shot back.

Clint's smirk slowly faded. Loki's grew.

"I wonder if your dearly beloved receives that same amount of loyalty?"

Clint stood abruptly, fury burning in his eyes. "How dare you."

"I wonder… does your precious team know about—" Loki's sentence was cut off as Hawkeye's fist connected with his cheek.

His vision went briefly spotty and Loki blinked the stars out of his eyes with slight difficulty. Norns, he wasn't supposed to be so affected by a mortal's blow.

The other Avengers side-eyed each other awkwardly.

"Well now I'm genuinely curious… do they—"

Clint grabbed the muzzle off of Thor's belt and slammed it over Loki's mouth.

He gagged a tiny bit and glared at the archer.

The Widow's eyes narrowed.

Loki spent the rest of the trip silently glaring at and wishing death on every person in the plane.

* * *

He was blindfolded before they led him off the plane.

He really didn't know why. It's not like he knew where he was, and he had other ways of telling his surroundings. Unfortunately it made people think they could be slightly rougher with him. Loki didn't care. It was inconsequential compared to Thanos' cronies.

They led him through a maze of hallways and at least three different elevators. Loki memorized the turns. He wasn't planning on escaping. It was just in case... just in case.

He was stopped in what he assumed was a cell. The blindfold was removed and he blinked at the bright lights. Loki turned around in the space, taking in the details. A cot merged with the wall. No bolts. There was a small alcove in the corner with a toilet and tiny sink. Once again, smooth edges with nothing to pry off. The young god rounded on the door he'd been brought in by. Transparent- not glass but something stronger. Beyond it he saw that ridiculously patriotic stiff, the now-scientist-beast-man, and Thor speaking with the guards that had just exited. Apparently the Captain, the green beast, and his not-brother were the only Avengers to accompany him down to the actual cell.

Loki rolled his eyes as they prattled on. He'd been doing that a lot today.

He strode as casually as he could in this state over to the cot and suppressed a grimace as he sat down. He ignored the shifty glances of the Avengers as he ran his manacled hands over the muzzle on his face, searching for a lever or a button or anything really. He had no success. He huffed irritatedly and slumped a little. The movement made his ribs suddenly flare up. He grit his teeth beneath the muzzle and shut his eyes tightly, trying to muscle through the sharp pain without anyone noticing. Though, like many things these days it seemed, he was unsuccessful.

Dr. Banner's eyebrows scrunched a bit as he glanced over at Loki in his new temporary cell. "Hey Thor, you wouldn't happen to know how much damage the average Asgardian can take, would you?"

Thor frowned and turned his gaze towards his brother, who was sitting tensely on the edge of the cot with his eyes closed. "I am not the best person to ask, though I will say he is sufficiently injured. He will not be escaping in this short time."

Captain Rogers was now studying Loki out of the corner of his eye. He turned to Thor and spoke in a quieter voice, "No Thor, I think Dr. Banner is asking if he needs medical attention."

The Asgardian blinked and then looked at Loki again. "Oh…" His hero bravado dropped just a bit, and he looked a little worried for his younger brother. "We asgardians are hardy, and so it seems is Loki, though I do worry for him, naturally." He hesitated before speaking again. "If he were to be examined, he most likely will not cooperate… He may be a danger to whomever does the examination."

"You know… I'm medically trained…" Bruce shifted nervously, "I have no idea how his body would differ from a human's, though."

Thor's eyes softened and he placed a hand on Bruce's shoulder. "If he were to be cooperative, I'm sure your handiwork would be enough. I do not know much of human physiology, but I do believe we are quite similar."

Steve nodded his head towards Loki's cell. "How about we just… ask him…"


End file.
